MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. — Microsoft plans to make a major investment in Wisconsin, including billions to expand its data center footprint in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday.
Microsoft Corp. is set to purchase more than 1,000 acres in the village, some of which was already assembled for Foxconn Technology Corp., and could expand by at least $1.4 billion for its data center project, our partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal report.
The village says, if approved by the Village of Mount Pleasant and Racine County Board, "the company would invest billions of dollars to construct new datacenters to meet the evolving computational needs of its global customer base, expanding on Microsoft’s $1 billion investment announced earlier this year, which is already among the largest single private sector investments in Wisconsin history."
According to BizJournal, Microsoft is paying nearly $100 million for public land and acquiring additional private land near the site. In all, the company is proposing to acquire 630 acres from the village of Mount Pleasant with the remaining land from private landowners. If approved, BizJournal says Microsoft is guaranteeing its additional investment of $1.4 billion by 2028.
Friday's announcement marks the second major investment for Microsoft. Earlier this year, Microsoft decided to invest $1 billion to construct multiple data centers in Mount Pleasant. That data center will cover nearly 215 acres at 90th Street and Highway KR. It is part of a 300-acre site Microsoft acquired from the village for $50 million. In response, Gov. Evers signed bipartisan legislation in the 2023-25 biennial budget designed to put the state in a more competitive position for data center investments, according to Friday's announcement.
The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
Gov. Evers' statement says in part, "Microsoft’s investment is a testament to Wisconsin’s economic strengths, which include a skilled workforce, excellent power and internet infrastructure, and outstanding educational facilities. Other advantages are startup attraction and development through Titletown Tech and multifaceted investments in computer science education programs."
Gov. Evers said the expansion will have a positive impact that will be felt in the region and across Wisconsin for years.
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said, “Wisconsin’s strengths in workforce, infrastructure, and educational opportunities make it a great place for Microsoft to invest and grow our cloud services. We thank the Governor for his leadership and look forward to continuing to bring positive economic impact to the state and its residents."
You can read Gov. Evers' full announcement online.
Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Representative Robert Wittke (R-Racine) released the following statement following the announced plans for Microsoft to expand:
“It’s an incredible day for the Village of Mount Pleasant who played a pivotal role in facilitating the expansion of one of the world's leading technology giants. Mount Pleasant and Racine County’s commitment to fostering innovation, its skilled workforce, and the supportive business environment make it an ideal location for Microsoft's continued ‘growth.
“Historically, Wisconsin has been the invention capital of the United States, and this session, it has been one of our key priorities to stimulate innovation in our state. We’re optimistic this partnership will not only transform the local landscape but also attract talent and innovation to Wisconsin.
“We look forward to what lies ahead as this expansion takes shape.”
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